Method and apparatus for drying objects such as cars



Oct. 15, 1968 G. RIES 3,405,453

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRYING OBJECTS SUCH AS CARS Filed Oct. 21, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 8 LEGEND -D DRIVE MECHANISM (EL. MOTOR) F FUNNELS BAND PR EMOISTENING C BAND-CLEANING MECHANISM INCL. BRUSHES AND/OR SUCTION S HUMIDITY SENSING DEVICE M LINEAR MOVEMENT ELECTR. MOTOR CONTROL R SPEED OF ROTATION CONTROL I 11 Fig.2

V D 3 Q INVENTOR.

Gottfried Ries I SQ-f4,

ATTO R'N E.Y

Oct. 15, 1968 5, mgs 3,405,453

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRYING OBJECTS SUCH AS CARS Filed Oct. 21, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 HEATER THERMAL AND/0R 4 BLOWER VACUUM DRIER INVENTOR. Gottfried Ries ATTORN EY Oct. 15, 1968 Es 3,405,453

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRYING OBJECTS SUCH AS CARS I Filed Oct. 21, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Gottfried Ries ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,405,453 METHOD AND APPARATUS FGR DRYING OBJECTS SUCH AS CARS Gottfried Ries, Kriegsstr. 236, Karlsruhe, Germany Filed Oct. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 499,953 22 Claims. (Cl. 34-9) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Independent portions of absorbent material follow laterally displaced, varyingly contoured parts of a 'wet vehicle in wiping engagement with its surfaces. The absorbent material portions are subsequently dehydrated by a squeezing roll and the removed water is prevented from spilling back onto the vehicle by a trough situated below the contact between the squeezing roll and the material.

Field of the invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for drying wet articles, particularly for drying washed automobiles.

More particularly the invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically drying wet nonrotatable objects such as washed automobiles, by absorbing the liquid from the surface of the object with an absorbent material, by drying continuously the absorbent material and by returning it into the drying cycle.

Description of the prior art There are a number of articles, such as, for example, automobiles having a lacquer coating which is sensitive in most cases, which cannot simply be dried, after the 'washing step, by air and heat, i.e., by evaporation of the water, since by such a method residues of lime of other salts remain, and such residues would become visible as stains after the drying process. In order to eliminate this disadvantage, it has proposed to dilute the water film remaining after the washing step by surface tension-removing agents or other chemical agents in order to avoid drying the residues on the surface. However, this method requires complex water-processing apparatus. The drying operation must be conducted in a completely dust-free chamber, or with dust-free air, since otherwise dust would likewise form drying residues.

It is known to the {prior art to conduct the drying step, for example, of automobiles washed automatically or by hand, by having the car pass a zone of pressurized air wherein the water, i.e., the remainders of moisture are blown away from the automobile body. For this purpose, relatively strong ventilators are required which consume a large amount of power during operation and furthermore produce a relatively loud noise. Plants of this type, however, have various shortcomings.

Summary of the invention The ideal method for eliminating water and salt residues is to soak up and wipe off these residues with absorbent materials, such as, for example, absorbent cloth or chamois leather materials. This method could be carried out heretofore only by relatively expensive manual labor.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a mechanical method and apparatus for drying objects by soaking up and wiping off water and its solid contents from surfaces such as a car automatically, by avoiding simultaneously the disadvantages of the previously known processes. According to the invention one or several surfaces of an absorbent material continuously are passed in contact with the object to be dried, particularly the body of an automobile, so that its surfaces are subsequently continuously dehydrated, and so that they are Patented Oct. 15, 1968 thereupon again brought in contact with further places of the wet object in a continuous cycle of operation.

The method can be carried out by means of mechanical devices and machines, in a similar manner as they are already known in connection with washing operations, for example the washing of cars.

Another object of the invention is to dry wet objects by automatically removing the water film present on their surfaces, by absorbing and wiping off this water film continuously in a cycle, in such a manner that the surfaces of the absorbent materials, after having taken up water from the surface of the object are continuously dewatered and readied for renewed absorption of water, whereupon they are brought into contact with subsequent surfaces of the object to be dried automatically without manual labor.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like references denote same or equivalent structures of parts and wherein:

Brief description of the drawing FIGURE 1 is partly a cross-sectional and partly a schematic view of a basic embodiment of the invention;

FIGURES 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views of various improvements of the apparatus of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal cross-section through a portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a device according to the invention;

FIGURE 6 is a top view with a partially sectional view of the device of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 shows a modified embodiment of a device according to FIGURES 5 and 6;

FIGURE '8 is a schematic diagram applicable to each of the above figures;

FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 7 with an improvement thereto.

Description of the preferred embodiments The frame with the rollers is moved relatively to the wet object over it. The wiping drum which contacts the wet object is covered by at least one layer of absorbent material, and the squeezing roller, if desired, is provided with a =firm rubber coating, and is mounted to press against the drum in such a manner that the water is squeezed out of the absorbent material.

The two cylinders preferably are arranged approximately horizontally with respect to each other. A small transverse trough is mounted underneath the gap between the two cylinders in order to ensure the drainage of the squeezed-out water away from the object. The absorbent material is selected from natural or synthetic foam materials, a sponge, rubber, styrene sponges and the like, and it is surrounded by a more resistant, likewise absorbent substance, for example leather, in order to reduce wear and tear.

Instead of one 'wiping drum, several individual drums, each enveloped by the absorbent material portions, are proposed to be rotatably mounted about the squeezing roller. In this manner, it is possible to dry irregular surfaces, i.e., curved or with projections, depressions and other obstacles. In this connection, the squeezing roller can likewise be divided into several individual rollers. Roller lifting arms are provided between individual roller sections, each enveloped by the absorbent material. When arranged horizontally, the individual enveloped roller sections can adapt to the shape of the surface on account of their own weight, while in case of vertically extending surfaces the individual roller sections are under spring tension and are thus pressed against the surface.

According to another embodiment of the invention, an endless rotating band consisting of an absorbent material is substituted for the envelope of the squeezing drum. This band is drawn across the wet object. In this embodiment, the band runs over at least two wiping drums, one of them having mounted adjacently the squeezing roller which is pressed thereagainst and rotates therewith, for squeezing out the water.

For a better adaptation to irregular surfaces, the endlessly rotating band can be subdivided into narrow strip portions running over a carrying roller extending across the entire width of the assembly. An oppositely rotating squeezing roller is pressed against this roller, each strip portion of the endlessly rotating band running at the opposite end over an independent wiping drum, spaced from the carrying roller. These individual drums are each pivotable by means of hinged arms approximately about the longitudinal axis of the carrying roller.

In FIGURE 1, a simplified embodiment of the apparatus of the invention is illustrated suitable especially for drying almost smooth, planar surfaces. A squeezing roller 2 and a wiping drum 1 are mounted on parallel shafts rotatably in opposition to each other in a mounting arrangement, not shown, such as a frame. The two cylinders, of which only one needs to be driven, are guided by conventional drive mechanism, schematically shown as D, over the wet object 3, for example in the direction of arrow 4. The roller 1, contacting the surface of the object 3, for example the surface of an automobile body, is enveloped by an absorbent material 5. Thereby, the water film present on the surface 3 is absorbed and wiped off. The direction of rotation of roller 1 preferably is opposite to the direction of movement, shown by arrow 6, in order to additionally wipe off the water film and push it in front of the drum 1.

The roller 2 is pressed against the drum 1 in such a manner that a relatively narrow gap 7 is produced. The absorbent material is pressed through this roller gap, the water being squeezed out of the material.

To avoid running of the squeezed-out water upon the object, a small drainage trough 8 is provided between the two cylinders 1 and 2, approximately underneath the gap 7, to conduct the water to the outside.

The roller 2 or at least its surface is made of metal or other solid material and preferably is encompassed by a solid, firm rubber coating. This roller rotates in a direction opposite to that of the drum 1, in the direction of arrow 9. This preferably is done by a continuous pressure contact with the drum 1. In such a manner simultaneously the roller 2 squeezes out of the soft absorbent covering of the drum 1 the accumulated water, to such an extent that this covering can again absorb new water during the continued rotation of the roller when subsequently it contacts the surface 3.

In the embodiment of the invention, illustrated in FIG- URE 2, an endless band 10 of an absorbent material runs over two drums 11 and 12 in the direction of arrow 13. The roller 12 is likewise enveloped by an absorbent material 5. The squeezing out of the water from the absorbent band 10 is also caused by the squeezing roller 2 rotating in the direction of arrow 9 and pressing against the drum 11 in order to squeeze the water out of the band 10 upon the trough 8. This device is preferable when it is important that the absorbent material remains in contact with the surface of the object and the water film thereon for a longer period of time. Thereby, a better absorption is made possible. Likewise, unevennesses of the surface of object 3 can be handled better. The absorbent band 10 is made, for example, of natural or synthetic chamois leather or other absorbent durable material, such as woven or synthetic material. Preferably means are incorporated into the texture of the band for reinforcing and strengthening it, by weaving or pressing in a wire structure, such as in the form of a screen.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URES l and 2 having drums extending across the entire surface is particularly applicable for drying almost planar areas.

An embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG- URES 3 and 4 is particularly suitable, 'when rounded and very uneven surfaces with often sharply protruding objects, such as rearview mirrors, visors, luggage racks, antennas, radiator ornaments of automobiles and the like, are to be dried. Here the drum 1 enveloped by the absorbent material is divided into several individual drums indicated as 1a, 1b, etc. As is seen from the figures, this division is lateral to the direction of movement 4. These individual drums are mounted rotatably about the axis 15 of the roller 2 via corresponding arms 14a, 14b, etc. Each individual drum has its own absorbent material portion 5. The roller 2 is also divided into several individual rollers 2a, 2b, etc., with all of the roller sections, as well as the bearings of the roller supports, mounted preferably fixedly on shaft 15 which extends all the way across the combined width of the rollers. Only the end roller needs to be driven externally, this roller then driving also all other individual rollers by contact with these rollers or by the bearing pressure.

In order to ensure that the entire arrangement is guided across all unevennesses or obstacles of the surface 3, a feeler-roller 16 is provided rotating in the direction of arrow 17 and is mounted relative :to the rest of the apparatus to control the entire arrangement. The device illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4 is suitable, however, to overcome only relatively minor unevennesses.

In FIGURES 5 to 7 an embodiment of the invention is shown capable of drying objects having radially curved surfaces, or surfaces having major unevennesses and projections.

In the device shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, an endlessly rotating band 10 of absorbent material is subdivided into several band portions exemplified as 10a, 10b, 100, etc., running over a common drum 11 and mounted to press against the drum 11 in conjunction with the squeezing roller 2. On the opposite side, the bands 10a, 10b, 10c run separately over drums 18a, 18b, 180, respectively. The drums are spaced an equal distance from the drum 11 and are mounted to move upwardly and downwardly within relatively wide limits. The band strips are made of an absorbent material, and also of different superimposed layers as desired for particular purposes.

The mounting of the individual drums 18a, 18b, 18c, etc., is shown by means of arms 19a, 19b, 19c, connected to the shafts of drums 18. Each drum 18 is divided by its respective arm 19 into two halves. The arms 19a, 19b, 190, etc., are hingedly mounted to a common bracket 20 supported on the shaft 21 of the driving roller 11. Since the arms do not rotate about the same central point as the band strips, they are made somewhat resilient in the longitudinal direction. In order to obtain an approximate rotation about the axis 21 of driving roller 11, and in order to position the bracket 20 approximately in the center between the band strips, the bracket can be rotatably mounted on shaft 21, while then one or two arms are connected fixedly with the bracket so that the latter participates in the upward and downward movement of at least one or two of the rollers 18a, 18b, 180.

This arrangement has the advantage that, when there is a large spacing between the drum 11 and the drums 18a, 18b, 180, also large unevennesses and projecting parts in the surface of the object to be treated can be easily overcome, and that also the individual bands can slide across very differently shaped parts, while all of these bands need be driven only by a single roller 2. A further advantage resides in that the drums can be held in position very easily and thus the mobility and the contact pressure of the individual bands can be made as easy and light, respectively, as desired. The entire weight of the device with the drives and the electric motor which often is heavy can be moved up and down in the entire device and be adjusted to the objects by means of the feeler-roller 16 or by external means.

In FIGURE 7, another construction of the device according to the invention is shown. Two successive drums 22 and 23 are provided with any additional desired number of them also arranged superimposed. The two drums are provided with resilient suspension arms 24 and 25 in order to keep the bands under uniform tension. In this manner, there is obtained an additional improvement in adaptation of the apparatus to unevennesses and a longer contract time is provided with the objects to be dried.

In FIGURE 8 a schematic diagram discloses the humidity of the dried object portions of the sensing device as controlling the speed of the rotation of the absorbent band and the speed of the wet object moving underneath it. In similar manner the humidity of the absorbent band after wetted can be determined by a sensing device to control the dehydration thereof. Any conventional humidity sensors and movement controls are applicable and do not per se form part of the invention.

In FIGURE 9 the means to dry the absorbent band are shown to be employed in addition to the squeezing roller, or in lieu thereof, as a conventional drier of the vacuum and or thermal type. The end portion of the band, shown for instance in FIGURE 7 with or without the roller enters through an orifice in the cabinet of the drier, protruding therein from a side wall thereof. Wooden, rubber or synthetic flaps hingedly mounted with one end to the top of the orifice and similar resiliently protruding from the bottom thereof are adhering in close engagement to the top and bottom portions of the band, thus keeping the orifice of the drier closed. The flaps 31 when in engagement with the wetted band prior to the drying operation wipe off the gross of the water before the actual drying operation begins.

A heater such as an electric coil may be installed into the squeezing roller or adjacent thereto to preheat the band before it enters the actual drier.

The device illustrated in the several figures can be supplemented in any desired manner by devices such as troughs or funnels, shown schematically as F, which premoisten the absorbent material at the beginning of the drying process in order to ensure better absorption. Furthermore, particularly when employing the band, further devices can be added, shown schematically as C, which clean the band during its rotation and again free the band from the cleaning fluid, for example water.

These additional parts are interposed to contact the drying band on its return trip after it has been dried.

While the drying apparatus and process of the one or more absorbent materials have been illustrated in detail for purposes of this disclosure as a combination with mechanical roller-squeezing device, it is intended to include as an equivalent a combination with an automatic drier, vacuum and/or thermal, mounted relative to the band to dehydrate it, when soaked on the return trip.

All of the devcies can, in a further development of the invention, also be used, after the squeezing roller 2 has been pivoted away, for the gentle washing of newly lacquered vehicles, for applying and soaking with shampoo, or the like.

While only movements of the drying band were shown relative to the wet object to be dried, it is also intended to include as combination therewith, conventional means, indicated schematically as M, to move continuously the object itself such as a car relative to the moving drying band either in longitudinal directions or rotatably.

It is further within the scope of the present invention to include in combination humidity of the surface of the dried object sensing means, indicated in FIGURE 1 schematically as S, with means R to control the dehydrating action, in the case shown, designating the speed of rotation of the absorbent roller or band and also the speed of the wet object moving in relation therewith. The motive force thereof is designated schematically as M. This is shown in the schematic diagram of FIGURE 8.

While only several embodiments of the invention were disclosed here for purposes of constructive reduction to practice, all variations, modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims are part thereof.

I claim:

-1. A method of automatically drying wet, nonrotatable objects, such as a washed car, comprising the steps:

(1) bringing a continuously moving sequence of dry absorbent material segments into contact with the wet surface of said object;

(2) providing simultaneously relative movements between said material and said object to produce a wiping action;

(3) dehydrating continuously the successively wetted segments;

(4) returning continuously the dehydrated segments into the drying cycle of step (1); and

(5) ducting the fluid removed from said segments away from said object.

2. A method of automatically drying wet objects, such as a washed car, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact of 1) is performed portionally independently of material portions situated laterally to the direction of movement of said object.

3. A method of automatically drying wet objects, such as a washed car, as claimed in claim 2, the step (2) including the step of continuously sensing the humidity of the dried portions of the object and of controlling thereby the speed of movements of step (2).

4. A method of automatically drying wet objects, such as a washed car, as claimed in claim 2, the step (2) including the step of continuously sensing the humidity of the dried portions of the object and of controlling thereby the degree of dehydration of the step (3).

5. A method of automatically drying wet objects, such as a washed car, as claimed in claim 2, further including the step of premoistening the dry material segments prior to their contact with the wet object at the beginning of the cycle.

6. A method of automatically drying wet objects, such as a washed car, as claimed in claim 2, step (3), further including the step of cleaning the segments.

7. An apparatus for automatically drying a Wet, nonrotatable object, such as a washed car, comprising in combination:

(1) means providing a sequence of moving absorbent materials, in surface to surface engagement with said object;

-(2) means to move said object relative to said moving materials to produce a wiping action;

(3) means to dehydrate the part of said material wetted after the said surface to surface engagement;

(4) means to duct the fluid from the dehydrated material away from the said object.

8. An apparatus for automatically drying a wet object, such as a washed car, as claimed in claim 7, said means of (1) being divided laterally to the direction of movement of said object into portions independently maintaining engagement with said object.

9. An apparatus for automatically drying a wet object, such as a washed car, as claimed in claim 8, further including:

(5) means to premoist the said material interposed prior to its contact with said wet object.

10. An apparatus for automatically drying a wet object, such as a washed car, as claimed in claim 8, the means 3) further including means to clean said material and duct the waste away from said object.

11. An apparatus for automatically drying a wet object, such as a washed car, as claimed in claim 8,

further including means to sense continuously the humidity of the dried surface of the object and means to control the speed of at least one of the means (1), (2) and (3) by the sensing means.

12. An apparatus for automatically drying a wet object, such as a washed car, as claimed in claim 8, said means (1) comprising a plurality of rotating wiping bands of said absorbent material,

said means (3) comprising at least one rotating squeezing roller (2) mounted adjacent to and in fluidsqueezing engagement with said band of absorbent material,

said means (4) including a trough (8) ducting the expressed fluid away from said object.

13. An apparatus for automatically drying a wet object, such as a washed car, as claimed in claim 8,

said means (1) comprising a plurality of wiping drums covered with said absorbent material, means to rotate said drums in the direction opposite to that of the moving object and in wiping engagement with the surface of said object,

said means (3) comprising at least one squeezing roller,

mounted spaced above the moving object and in squeezing engagement with wetted parts of said absorbent material,

said means (4) comprising a trough mounted below the lowest point of contact of the peripheries of the wiping drum and squeezing roller for ducting the squeezed-out liquid away from said object.

14. An apparatus for automatically drying a wet object, such as a washed car, as claimed in claim 8,

said means (1) comprising a plurality of pairs of rotating wiping drums, the drums of each pair being spaced parallel to each other, said absorbent material shaped in endless moving bands encompassing the two rollers of a pair in a tight engagement on said drums,

said means (3) comprising at least one rotating squeezing roller, mounted adjacent one of the wiping drums of each pair in squeezing engagement with said absorbent material.

15. An apparatus for automatically drying a wet object, such as a washed car, as claimed in claim 14, further comprising means keeping the wiping drums in a resilient engagement with said object.

16. An apparatus for automatically drying a wet object, such as a washed car, as claimed in claim 8, said means (1) including means to press the said absorbent materials resiliently against said object.

17. An apparatus for automatically drying a wet object, such as a washed car, as claimed in claim 8, further including (6) feeler-roller means mounted into engagement with the surface of the moving object in advance of the wiping means, to ascertain any oncoming extreme projections and obstacles on the surface of the object, and means to lift the said means (1) and (3) upwards in a Wiping engagement out of collision with said projections and obstacles.

18. An apparatus for automatically drying a wet ob ject, such as a washed car, as claimed in claim 8, said means (3) comprising an automatic drier having an opening in its wall in continuous drying engagement with the successively oncoming wetted segments of the absorbing material.

19. An apparatus for automatically drying a wet object, such as a washed car, as claimed in claim 8, further 8 including means, preceding means (1), to wash said object and means to put said means 3) out of operation for the duration of performance of said means to wash.

20. An apparatus for automatically drying a wet object, such as a washed car, comprising in combination: 1) means providing a sequence of moving absorbent materials, in surface to surface engagement with said object; 2) means to move said object relative to said moving materials; (3) means to dehydrate the portions of said material wetted after the said surface to surface engagement; (4) means to duct the fluid from the dehydrated material away from said object,

said means (1) comprising two sets of a plurality of rotating wiping drums, a front set with each drum having an individual shaft, independent from those of the other drums of said front set, a rear set comprising an opposite drum for every drum in said front set, bands connecting each drum of said front set with the opposite drum of the rear set, a common shaft for the wiping drums of said rear set, a supporting arm for at least one of said drums of said front set, a bracket adjacent to and parallel with the shaft of the drums of said rear set, said each arm hingedly mounted on said bracket, whereby each at least one drum of said front set becomes swingably movable upward when rolling over a projection of said moving object.

21. An apparatus for automatically drying a wet object, such as a washed car, as claimed in claim 20, further including means to move said rear set of drums upwards on encountering a projection in said object.

22. An apparatus for automatically drying a wet object, such as a washed car, comprising in combination: 1) means providing a sequence of moving absorbent materials, in surface to surface engagement with said object; (2) means to move said object relative to said moving materials; 3) means to dehydrate the portions of said material wetted after the said surface to surface engagement; (4) means to duct the fluid from the dehydrated material away from said object, said means (1) comprising two sets of a plurality of rotating drums parallelly spaced from each other with individual drums of each set corresponding in position to those of the opposite set, each at least one drum of each set having an individual shaft, said two sets mounted for engagement with the surface of said object, a squeezing roller mounted spaced from said two sets of drums and from said object above it, an endless band for each drum, each band encompassing in tight engagement one drum of each set and the corresponding portion opposite thereof of said squeezing roller, each of said at least one drum mounted by a resilient suspension arm into resilient engagement with the portion of the surface of the object upon which it travels.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,943,874 11/1934 Moe 34-95 1,991,324 2/1935 Keech 34-71 2,020,056 11/1935 Gibbs 34-116 X 2,207,278 7/1940 Albrecht 34-95 2,244,722 6/ 1941 Norcross 34-52 2,504,932 4/1950 Kolper et a1 34--52 3,224,108 12/1965 Flaming 34-229 X 3,296,710 1/ 1967 Krikorian 34-95 FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner.

D. A. TAMBURRO, Assistant Examiner. 

